Chapter 91: Sister’s Happiness

Late Weishi (1 PM to 3 PM).

Ding Suian and Li Meimei left the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

Li Meimei was both happy and suspicious.

He was happy that his sixth brother ultimately wasn’t so deranged as to become his Junior Martial Uncle.

He was suspicious that such a great Opportunity was actually handed over to the Princess Consort of Lanyang?

“Sixth brother, tell me the truth, are you interested in that widowed Princess Consort? Is that why you’re so eager to curry favor with her?”

“Tsk tsk tsk, a dirty mind sees everything as dirty. Can’t I just be repaying her kindness?”

“I don’t believe it. Between a man and a woman, how can there be pure kindness? There’s always a hint of desire.”

“That’s not right. I firmly believe that there can be brotherly affection between men and women!”

“Can there be?”

“Why not?”

“I don’t think so!”

“I think so!”

Shenshen (3 PM to 5 PM).

Lin Manor, Huguai Garden, Ji Pavilion.

In the boudoir on the second floor, a subtle chill emanated from the ice chest placed in the center, on which lay fruits like grapes and watermelon.

Even though Ruan Ruan was born into a wealthy family, she was still far from Lin Hansu’s extravagance.

She couldn’t help but praise it repeatedly.

“Everything is good at big sister’s place. Even in the middle of summer, there are icy cold fruits to eat~”

“Grapes and watermelon are both cold in nature, Ruan Ruan, don’t be greedy, or you might get a stomachache. If you like them, take them with you when you leave, and let Aunt have a taste too.”

Lin Hansu sat in front of her dressing table, smiling brightly.

Behind her, Zhao Yan obediently helped her braid her hair.

Lin Hansu really liked the current atmosphere; the two little ones were guileless. If they were to become a family in the future, there wouldn’t be so many troublesome matters.

“Big sister, it’s done.”

Zhao Yan called out proudly. Lin Hansu looked in the mirror. Zhao Yan had styled her hair into a tassel bun.

The braids hanging on both sides were intertwined with colorful ropes, adding a playful touch.

Zhao Yan learned things very quickly. Thinking back to the first time she saw her in March, she was still a wild country girl who didn’t understand etiquette, wasn’t sensible, and only clung to Young Master.

In just three short months, her words had become sweet, she knew how to speak, and her hands had become nimble.

Even her body had matured.

“Thank you, Yaner.”

Lin Hansu called out affectionately, then turned and said, “Ruan Ruan, I told you last time I’d give you some rouge and powder bestowed by Your Highness. Come and pick some.”

“Mhm mhm!”

Lin Hansu and Ruan Ruan held hands and walked to the nearby cabinet, where they huddled together, chatting about rouge and powder.

Meanwhile, the ‘guileless’ Zhao Yan, seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, secretly took a strand of Lin Hansu’s dark hair from the comb, then quickly pulled out one of her own hairs.

She then intertwined the two strands of hair and threaded them separately into two hollow lotus seeds.

Her long, foxy eyes slightly closed, she silently chanted some spell.

After glancing at Lin Hansu and Ruan Ruan again, confirming they were engrossed in the topic of cosmetics, she quickly walked to Lin Hansu’s bed and placed the hollow lotus seeds, entwined with their hair, under the bed in the southwest Kun position.

Then she stood up.

Zhao Yan turned and squeezed between the two, affectionately hugging Lin Hansu’s arm and pouting, “Oh, I don’t understand anything about rouge and powder, big sister, teach me~”

Late Xushi (7 PM to 9 PM).

On the first floor of Ji Pavilion, Lin Hansu had specifically asked Granny Zhang to oil the door hinge, which opened silently to a crack, then closed.

Ding Suian arrived a bit earlier tonight than usual.

Lin Hansu had entertained Ruan Ruan and Zhao Yan that afternoon, so the matters at the Princesss Residence hadn’t been fully dealt with yet.

Hearing footsteps, she turned and first gave Ding Suian a gentle smile, softly saying, “Go get a leisure book and read it. I’ll be done soon.”

With that, she continued to lean over her desk, writing with a suspended wrist.

Ding Suian sat beside her, silently watching the beauty under the lamp, finding her more enchanting the longer he looked.

Coupled with her serious demeanor as she worked, she exuded a subtly mature and intellectual beauty.

About a quarter of an hour later, Lin Hansu, who couldn’t quite settle her mind, quickly finished her official duties and walked to Ding Suian, leaning down to lightly kiss his forehead. “I’m going to take a bath~”

However, Ding Suian pulled her close. Lin Hansu turned, gracefully sitting on his lap, and, thinking her Young Master was impatient, chided, “I’ve been busy all day, I’m all sweaty~ Wait a moment!”

“I want to tell Big Sister something first.”

“Hmm, go ahead~”

“I found a teacher for Big Sister.”

“Found a teacher for me?” Lin Hansu wrapped her arms around his neck, her Phoenix eyes showing confusion. “What does that mean?”

“Supervisor Yuan, Supervisor Yuan of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. I helped him with a small favor, and he agreed to take Big Sister as his disciple. Supervisor Yuan calculated that three days from now is an auspicious day. Big Sister should prepare well; many people will surely come to witness your apprenticeship.”

…

Lin Hansu’s small mouth hung open, her Phoenix eyes wide.

She seemed to be stunned by the news.

“Big Sister?”

Ding Suian shook the arm wrapped around Lin Hansu’s slender waist. She came back to her senses and immediately asked, “What did you do for him?”

From her tone, it sounded as if she thought Ding Suian had paid a huge price.

“This matter, it concerns the Prince of Nanshun…”

Ding Suian explained the whole story, then added, “Big Sister’s current status is too fragile; all her honor, disgrace, and safety depend solely on Princess Xingguo. It’s not that Your Highness is bad, but it’s not safe enough. Having Supervisor Yuan take Big Sister as a disciple adds another layer of status and protection.”

As she listened, Lin Hansu, who had been gazing at him adoringly, now had tears welling up in her Phoenix eyes. Her cherry lips trembled, and plump tears began to fall like broken pearls.

Ding Suian raised his hand and wiped away her tears with his thumb, then continued, “Big Sister, wait for me for two years. I will definitely not let you be as cautious as you are now. By then, Big Sister won’t need to cling to others or borrow their names…”

“Young Master~”

A soft call, filled with myriad emotions.

Before, Lin Hansu always felt that she alone was seriously planning and deliberating for the two of them. Occasionally, she couldn’t help but worry that Young Master, being young and fond of beauty, was merely acting on a whim.

Tonight, she finally realized that not only was he also planning, but he was doing even more than she was.

Lin Hansu was not a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl. Sweet words were fine as a diversion, but she knew that no amount of vows would be of any real help.

What he did today made her truly feel that she had not entrusted herself to the wrong person.

Lin Hansu lay on Ding Suian’s shoulder, her body convulsing with silent sobs.

It wasn’t until a quarter of an hour later that Lin Hansu gradually controlled her emotions.

They went downstairs together and bathed in the warm spring.

When they came back up, it was almost late Haishi (9 PM to 11 PM).

Ding Suian took the bed hooks, and the red bed curtains slowly closed from both sides of the bed, creating a private little space.

The candlelight in the room passed through the red curtains, dyeing the interior a fiery red.

Ding Suian turned around and saw Lin Hansu still kneeling on the inner side of the bed, and couldn’t help but ask, “Big Sister?”

Lin Hansu was perhaps accustomed to being proper in front of others, and rather conservative in matters of communication, which was why Ding Suian was puzzled.

But this time, Lin Hansu, with slightly red and swollen eyes, smiled demurely and whispered, “Didn’t you always say you put in all the effort while I only enjoyed myself? This time, it’s your turn to lie down.”

Lie down then!

Seeing the world from a different angle, it’s new every day!

Next door, the Ding Family.

Upstairs in the East Wing.

Zhao Yan lay on the bed, yawning sleepily.

Holding another hollow lotus seed entwined with her and Lin Hansu’s dark hair, she brought it closer, muttering, “This isn’t right. Auntie taught me this way.”

Perhaps suspecting she had misspoken the spell, Zhao Yan thought for a moment, then softly chanted again, “Lotus Bridge Telepathy, Shared Core Connection~”

As soon as the words fell, a tingling electric current suddenly surged from her tailbone, shooting straight to the crown of her head.

The little fox shivered.

Caught off guard, she instantly lost control of her body. Her bushy tail and fox ears suddenly popped out from behind her buttocks and the tips of her ears, respectively.

‘Mmm~’

She understood Big Sister’s happiness.